Thank You
by Noelerin
Summary: Merry tells Aragorn something about Eowyn. Not a romance. Thanks added.


Thanks To: Soledad, shirebound, Kyrthira Phelan, and Galea. I've always liked Eowyn and it really bothered me the way she was and has been treated. Especially for letting me know that I got Merry's last name wrong.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own "The Lord of the Rings" in any way, shape, or form. Nor will I ever claim to own them.  
Author's Note: I have only read LotR once, so I will apologize in advance for any out of characterness of the characters. This is something that's been irritating the heck out of me, so I finally wrote it down. I hope you enjoy. Takes place near the end of "The Return of the King" before Elrond shows up. I have fixed some of the errors I missed. *sheepish look*  
Rating: G  
Category: General.  
  
Merry stood in the doorway, debating whether or not to go through with this. The politics of humans confused him but Eowyn was being punished for doing something that he was praised for. It seemed wrong that she be condemned for her actions, while he was praised and held up as a hero for doing the same thing.  
  
Aragorn felt eyes on him and turned to see who was there. He was weary of doing the work his job required and was relieved to see the hobbit at the door. But, from the look on his face, Merry seemed to be dealing with some kind of dilemma. "Master Brandybuck, please, join me."  
  
Merry was startled to hear his voice addressing him, then realized that he shouldn't have been. Aragorn had been raised among the Elves and had developed their sixth sense of knowing. "Thank you." He moved slowly and sat down on one of the stone benches in the garden.  
  
"What is on your mind, my friend?" Aragorn asked gently, after waiting several moments for him to speak.  
  
Still, Merry hesitated. He didn't want to seem like he was criticizing his friend, Aragorn was doing the best he could. "I was wondering how one would fix an injustice done towards a friend of mine."  
  
"Does this friend have a name?" The king asked, compassion filling him.  
  
"I'd rather not say. Let me ask you a question that might answer your own." Merry paused, waiting to see if it was all right. Aragorn nodded slowly, watching him. "Why is it that two people can do the exact same thing and one will be honored while the other is held in contempt?"  
  
Aragorn froze, his eyebrows drew together. He frowned, though he was not angry. "You are speaking of Lady Eowyn. The difference lies in her motivations as opposed to your own."  
  
"Her motives were no different than mine. She wanted to fight for her people. But it goes deeper than that. Eowyn wanted to reclaim her soul from the poisonous lies she'd been exposed to for several years." Merry argued, pressing on before Aragorn could object. "And the Dark King would not have been defeated without her help."  
  
"What? Merry, you broke the enchantment guarding him." The king objected.  
  
"Yes, I did. But he could not be killed by a man, he said so. I heard him. He only got desperate in the battle when Eowyn revealed to him that she was no man but a woman."  
  
It was silent. Merry's words echoed in the silence as they locked eyes. Aragorn abruptly stood and walked away, turmoil filling his heart. He walked outside, ignoring his counselors who called after him. As he breathed in the cool air, a movement to his side caught his attention. Turning towards it, he saw Eowyn making her way to one of the walls. He silently followed her, unaware that he was being followed.  
  
Eowyn stood along the northern wall and stared out at the open land. She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. "Am I to be forever surrounded by walls I alone cannot tear down?" She murmured quietly, discontent clogging her throat and strangling her heart.  
  
"I suppose it must feel that way when you are blocked from all sides, my lady." Aragorn answered, coming to stand beside her.  
  
She looked up at him, startled to see him because he hadn't approached her since he'd healed her. "I didn't hear your approach, majesty." Eowyn made to bow but his hand grasping her arm stopped her.  
  
"Don't." He harshly said. "I do not deserve your honor after the shameful way I have treated you. My actions were wrong. Though I do not approve of what you did, I should never have condemned you."  
  
"What are you..." Her eyes narrowed as she studied him. "Merry told you."  
  
"He did. Why didn't you?"  
  
"You weren't interested in knowing. I felt it was of no consequence." She shrugged.  
  
"Of course it was important. What you did saved lives." Aragorn stated. "You did what you had to do to live."  
  
She laughed harshly. "Don't be so magnanimous towards me, sire. I assure you that my motives weren't that pure."  
  
"But that was truly a small part of your reasons, lady. You did what no one else could do. Now I am doing what I should have done after the battles were won." He knelt before her and in a voice loud enough for all to hear, he spoke. "Thank you, Lady Eowyn of Rohan for your actions in battle. For without your help our battle against the Dark Lord Sauron would have been bloodier and harder."  
  
Eowyn was speechless as the people cheered for her. With a shy smile crossing her face, she looked out over the crowd and saw Merry standing there. "Thank you." She mouthed at him.  
  
Merry smiled back at her, knowing that the door his friend had felt locked in had opened a little bit this day.  
  
The End. 


End file.
